Wheels / Tires: Wheel/Tire size 1962 GT Hawk

[San Diego Ron]

Let me start over...I bought 15X7" wheels from a 2004 Ford Ranger that fit on car. Discount Tire here in San Diego is saying I could put 205 or 215/ 70 or 75/15 tires on my 7" Wide rims.
What size tire would be best for my car? I will not go out and buy 6" Wide wheels. Thank You!
Have the center caps but Ford logo needs to be covered up with sticker or something.

[BobPalma]

According to the standards set forth by NWRA (National Wheel and Rim Association) for such things, you could run as large a 75-series tire as P225/75R15 on a 7" wheel, or as large as a P255/70R15 70-series tire on that same wheel.

So, really, you can pretty much put anything on those 7" wheels that will clear your Hawk's rear fenders and front suspension.

Be careful when mounting up any combination, however; be sure you have the clearance you need before investing in a whole set of tires. BP

[San Diego Ron]

Actually wanting to put the narrowest width tires on these rims not wider tires. The car now has 225/60/15's on 9" MB Motoring wheels. (too wide for my likening). Nice looking wheels but too wide for this car...at least up front.
A work in progress

[Jett289]

I have late 80's to early 90's Lincoln rims on the car which I do believe are 6 inch wide . The tires are 225/75R15's on there now and I have had no problems .
No scrubbing and the car drives and rides very nice.. Front end suspension and steering are all in good shape . Car does have power steering so hard to judge
if its hard to steer .

[bensherb]

215-70-15 on 6 1/2" wheel No clearance problems what so ever.

[56GH]

I put (4) FoMoCo 15" x 6-½" 1983-1997 Crown Victoria (fit other Ford models too) rims and 215R75-15 radials on my 1962 GT Hawk. The car looks great and and rides great too. No clearance issues.

[StudeRich]

I put (4) FoMoCo 15" x 6-½" 1983-1997 Crown Victoria (fit other Ford models too) rims and 215R75-15 radials on my 1962 GT Hawk. The car looks great and and rides great too. No clearance issues.

How about spinning Wheel Covers? Is that a problem or are these old enough to have the blocking bumps on each side of the Valve Stem like Chryslers have?

Some people use Steel Valve Stems to prevent the Rubber ones from being Cut off, but that still does not stop the Wheel Covers from riding hard on the Stems and they CAN be noisy and damaging to the Wheel cover.

[56GH]

No "blocking bumps" on the FoMoCo rims but the metal valve stems solve the issue of moving full wheelcovers. Never saw a problem with noise or damage to the covers on two different -K6 Studebakers over 20 years. I believe the metal valve stems are chrome plated brass. I used NAPA 90-416 "Tubeless Clamp-in Tire Valves," TR-416, 1-¼" long.

[StudeRich]

To me that is just a Band Aid, not a Fix. Thanks, but I prefer the Fix.

I wonder if you could buy "Caterpillar" Grommets or Plastic Rings to go around the Valve Stem Holes, THAT would help.

[56GH]

If you notice the NAPA valve stem packaging, the valve stems come with two plastic seals. One of them is 0.625" in diameter and is used for rims with larger holes. However, the FoMoCo rim uses the 0.453" diameter seal. The 0.625" diameter seal fits over the stem and the smaller diameter on it fits right into the wheelcover hole. You could use it to go around the valve stem if you're concerned about damage to the wheelcover.

[bensherb]

The wheel covers on my Crown Vic wheels did rotate. Only on the front wheels, and toward the front of the car as if they want to continue rotating as I stop. I used JB Weld to glue a 1/8" x 5/16" x 5/8" piece of aluminum bar on either side of the valve stem where the wheel cover mounts, 3/4" from center of the valve stem on each side of it. It worked great and stopped the rotating. Simple, easy and not enough weight to affect balance. If you do it before buying tires a small weld bead would work well too.

[Jett289]

I haven't had any problems so far with the wheel covers moving .. But haven't logged on more then 5000 kms yet .. I will have to keep an eye on them ..

[tim333]

Absolutely no wheel cover issues from my 63 Hawk, Marquis 15 x 6 wheels with 225/75 tires

[Apaden1]

Has anyone tried to see if 14in rims would fit on the rear of a 62 GT Hawk? I am looking at some centerlines 14in rear rim and 15in front

[JoeHall]

I'd go with the 205s.